The invention relates to a Balance Handle for transporting fishing rods and the like in tubular cases, and in particular, balancing the load of such transport for comfort and safety.
A fishing rod, for example, may be constructed of a solid, tubular, or hexagonal length of material such as bamboo, fiberglass, graphite, or boron. Alternatively, the rod may be comprised of detachable sections. When the rod is transported to a fishing area, a tubular case is often used to protect the relatively fragile fishing rod. While most of these cases are of a round shape, others are oval, square, triangular, hexagonal and the like. Some cases provide a permanently attached carrying handle. The handle is often one inch nylon webbing sewn to the covering material of the fishing case. However, no fishing cases currently exist with a carrying handle which may be positioned to balance the horizontal weight of the case for either one handed horizontal carry.
All fishing cases which have a handle come with the handle permanently attached to a predetermined location chosen by the manufacturer. This unadjustable handle cannot compensate for varying rod weights. For example, when compared to a carried suitcase, the fishing rod case has a greater horizontal carrying length (often seven feet and sometimes longer) and a fraction of the vertical depth. Thus, if the fulcrum of the case is only one inch different from the center of the handle, gravity pulls one end of the fishing case downward. Since a single fishing case designed to carry various rod types and thus, weights, the difference between the fulcrum of the case and the center of the handle is typically rather more than one inch. Therefor, the person carrying the case by the handle will either let one end of case slide on grade or lift the case higher to avoid such contact. Since a case may be used while getting into and out of boats, checking baggage for travel, or simply hiking to ocean, lake or river; physical discomfort as well as safety issues are a realistic concern. This situation is remedied by refitting preexisting cases with the balance handle or by manufacturing new cases with the Balance Handle.